Yehudit Feinstein Mentesh graduated with honors from the School of Visual Arts in 2003 (BFA) and the Boston Graduate School of Psychoanalysis in 2007 (MA). For over two decades, she has created large-scale drawings and paintings that explore the intersections of home, immigration, trauma, and healing. Her work has been exhibited in Boston, New York, and Israel, and is recognized for its deep exploration of personal and historical memory. Yehudit's works can also be found in numerous private collections.

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In addition to her artistic practice, Yehudit teaches and facilitates groups and individuals. Her Brooklyn studio has become a place where people come not only to create but to seek meaning and reimagine their own histories through art and writing.

 

At the heart of Yehudit's work are questions about how we can embrace the stories of the past to live fully in the present. Her art probes how we grapple with both pain and joy, loss and longing, in order to truly inhabit our bodies, hearts, and minds. Through her work, she explores the essential need to feel a sense of belonging in a constantly shifting world.

 

Yehudit draws inspiration from her family’s history—stories of the Holocaust, war, and survival. Artifacts such as old maps, stained letters, and family heirlooms serve as touchstones in her creative process, evoking powerful memories. Her art reflects the multifaceted nature of her identity as Israeli, American, Slovakian and Argentinean. She delves into the complexities of inherited trauma and immigrant dreams. Through painting, drawing, and mixed media, she depicts her family’s intergenerational journey while inviting others to reflect on their own connections to land, culture, and time.

 

The devastation of World War II severed branches of Yehudit's family tree, leaving behind fragments of stories and the power of imagination. As an artist, she sees herself as both a creator and a detective, collecting evidence—every stain, every flower—to build bridges between a past filled with loss and a future reaching for hope. Her work explores the tension between what was, what is, and what could be, with each piece offering a meditation on existence and an exploration of identity.

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In each painting or drawing, Yehudit experiences a sense of renewal and rebirth. By uncovering new narratives about belonging, loneliness, resilience, and survival, she hopes her art will inspire others to engage with the questions and curiosities that dwell within their own hearts.